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Whether to try TCA cross for glabella scars?

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(@chips90)

Posted : 11/21/2018 2:44 am

Hi there, 

I'm considering getting TCA CROSS treatment on my ice pick scars for my forehead. I just want another opinion, my ice pick are from in-grown hairs, mixed with prior acne from 10 years ago.

I personally don't believe the ice pick/slight boxcar scars aren't all that deep (compared to what I've seen from other people on here), hence why I'm a little reluctant to drop some TCA into them which may make them bigger.

I am currently trying Vivace RF micro-needling but after a month I have seen no improvement (was suggested by derm), I will give it 3 more sessions before Ill consider something else if need be.  I don't see how RF micro needling will be able to soften the sharp walls of ice picks from collagen remodelling deep under the skin, you would need a ablative approach for this -something to attack it from the exterior. The other issue is these scars have a slight red hyper-pigmentation at the bottom as you can see, which I would like to get rid of. Not sure if TCA cross could help on this one, my skin is quite fair and I don't think i'm a good healer, so I would assume if I did have TCA cross that there would be hyper pigmentation for months. I guess I could try one scar first.

Some of the scars are tiny holes like scar pores almost (where the hair follicle was), I was thinking maybe a CO2 fractional laser might help my glabella scars, again I'm not sure if the months of hyper-pigmentation vs the outcome is worth it. But I guess you have to risk it to get the biscuit! 

@beautifulambition

 

 

 

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(@beautifulambition)

Posted : 11/21/2018 6:39 am

@chips90They seem like surface boxcars, perhaps I cannot see them well with the pics clearly and they are different in person.TCA Cross is done on the deep ones and paint on 3x layers in the same session is done on the linear smaller box cars.

RF microneedling takes 3 treatments to show results and around 3 months apart - results don't show till months later.Yourscars may be so superficial and the rf needling settings are not right, to reach as they aretoo deep. or

co2 at 3-7% density and the highest power at a angle to the scars is 1927nm at a high density by Fraxel or angled is good for this .

Yes that is a big issue the hyperpigmentation makes them stand out more, you can get q-switch/vascular laser forthis or picosure.

Exactly you try tca cross on a scar or two as a test spot first. By design it might make your scars wider, after several cross sessions then you do peels or ablative laser resurfacing for the surface texture.

You might have to wear some concealer while you heal from treatment -hyperpigmentation on the scars.

At the end you do tca peels or erbium fully ablative peel, your scars are shallow and this might help, because your a poor healer goto someone experienced.

 

 

 

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(@chips90)

Posted : 11/22/2018 5:56 am

23 hours ago, beautifulambition said:

Yourscars may be so superficial and the rf needling settings are not right, to reach as they aretoo deep.

Thanks for the reply! Are you saying that the RF micro-needling setting might be going too deep??- that's what I'm thinking too, the RF energy/heat is getting dispersewell below the actual scars. The Vivace can go to 3.5mm depth, I remember the nurse pulled back the depth setting a bitwhen she first went over the area, as I told her she was going quite deep (I could feel it, specially around glabella there's not much fat). Maybe next session ill get her to go around 0.5mm or 1mm as my scars are quite superficial. They do 2 passes, thesecond passthey turn the energy up you can feel the heat quite a fair biteven with numbing.

 

23 hours ago, beautifulambition said:

co2 at 3-7% density and the highest power at a angle to the scars is 1927nm at a high density by Fraxel or angled is good for this

Also I didn't quite understand this? the 1927nm is not a CO2 yeh?

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(@beautifulambition)

Posted : 11/23/2018 9:10 am

@chips90Basically about the depth. Poor treatment skill of provider.

1927nm is mainly Fraxel, CO2 is CO2, ... two options.

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(@kman101)

Posted : 11/23/2018 2:07 pm

@beautifulambitionBA is there anything to be said for Phenol CROSS as alternative to TCA? Apparently similar results without the widening associated with TCA. But doesnt seem to be widely used ..

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MemberMember
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(@beautifulambition)

Posted : 11/24/2018 9:12 am

@kman101Rullan does Phenol Cross, not many other drs do, TCA is easier to use that is why. Rullanis a expertwith several acids(he has Dr's fly in to teach them to use acids) and ethnic skin types as well. He can do multiple things with acids for aesthetics.TCA cross works as well, but as you said it widens the scar, then a peel or resurfacing is done for surface texture on shallower scars. Phenol is well known in acid peels.

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